Bollito misto (mixed boil) is the famous stew of Piedmont
(especially, and where it is also known as gran
bui), Lombardy, and Emilia. It consists of mixed meats that are boiled
and served with a green sauce based on parsley, a red sauce based on tomato or mostarda di Cremona, a jarred sweet and
sour fruit relish, such as the Dondi brand or the Sperlari brand. You can find them at Amazon.com’s grocery
section or in good Italian markets or gourmet stores. Traditionally, in the Piedmont bollito misto consists of beef, veal
and/or veal tongue, chicken, a cotechino sausage
(available from Molinari Brothers in San
Francisco, molinarisalame.com) and half a calf’s head.

Bollito misto is a special preparation
and most recipes, as well as the way they do it in restaurants, call for yields
that could feed three times the amount of people served by my recipe. Restaurants will also make it with a good
variety of vegetables on the side too.
To make it special, arrange all the boiled meats with some care on a
large serving platter after they are cooked.
The dish traditionally has a calf’s head in it, but that will have to be
specially ordered if you decide to use one.

[photo: Clifford A. Wright]

Yield: Makes 6 servings
Preparation Time: 5 hours

2 celery stalks, cut up

1 large onion, studded with 3
cloves

1 large, thick carrot, peeled
and cut up

3 quarts water

1 veal tongue

2 pounds beef brisket in one
piece

1 Cornish game hen, rinsed

˝ beef foot

1 pig’s foot

One 6-inch square slice of fresh
pork rind (skin)

˝ calf’s head (optional)

1 cotechino sausage or 6 mild Italian sausages, pricked all over with
corn cob holders or the tip of a skewer

Dijon mustard (optional)

Mostarda di Cremona (optional)

For the green sauce (mix the
following together)

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive
oil

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh
parsley leaves

2 salted anchovy fillets, rinsed
and finely chopped

1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and
finely chopped

1 large garlic clove, finely
chopped

˝ teaspoon Dijon mustard

˝ teaspoon red wine vinegar

1. In a large 16- to 20-quart
stock pot, put the celery, onion, and carrot and cover with the water. Bring to a boil.

2. Add the veal tongue and beef
brisket and return to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour,
covered. Remove the tongue, cool, and
with a paring knife peel the outer layer of skin off. Trim all the fat and
gristle from the tongue and return to the pot.

3. Add the chicken, beef foot,
pig’s feet, pork rind, calf’s head (if using), and cotechino sausage. Return to
as boil, cover, and continue cooking over low heat until the remaining meats
are tender, about 3 ˝ hours. You can
serve it now or leave it in the broth on a warm heat to serve later. When it is time to serve remove each of the
meats and slice, arranging them all attractively on a serving platter. Ladle some broth over everything and serve
with Dijon mustard, mostarda di Cremona,
or the green sauce above.

Cliff is our GO TO guy whenever we need advice on a particularly intriguing recipe or ingredient. That's why we are thrilled to be holding his new HOT and hip collection of recipes [Some Like it Hot] that will guide you on a world tour guaranteed to blow your taste buds away! - Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger Chefs/Owners, Border Grill and Ciudad

Clifford Wright is a versatile fellow. He won the James Beard Foundation’s top cookbook award a couple of years ago for his historical opus, “A Mediterranean Feast.” But he also wrote one of my favorite quick cookbooks, “Cucina Rapida.” In his newest book [Real Stew], Wright calls upon his scholarly credentials and his practical side to produce a collection of classic stews from around the world. The introductory notes for each of the 300 stews reflect Wright’s knowledge of history and world cuisines. But the recipes themselves — from Nantucket Scallop Stew to French Cassoulet to Kenyan Chicken and Coconut Stew — are straightforward and appealing. - Margaret King, San Diego Union-Tribune